By contrast, the Soul-Eater Demon Spider's hatred for Lan Si far surpassed that of the Man Faced Demon Spider. It had been in the upper hand and absolutely confident, only for Lan Si to shoot through its abdomen with an AK47 automatic rifle, depriving it of its crucial Spider Web Restraint. Then Lan Si had relied on the power of the Clear Sky Bamboo Shoot to hammer it relentlessly, sending it fleeing in a panic, shrieking and wailing.
At long last, it had encountered a powerful human female Soul Master absorbing a Soul Ring. It had thought that devouring her would restore it to its peak and greatly increase its cultivation.
But before it could even get close to Qian Renxue, Lan Si caught up with it. He gave it no chance at all, hammering it relentlessly once more until, amid its pain and wails, it was beaten to death.
It might not be the last of its kind, but it was surely the only 2,500-year-old Soul-Eater Demon Spider in the Soul Beast Realm to have fallen to a human Soul Master who had only just reached level thirty.
How could it not hate him?
And so the Soul Ring energy Lan Si had to endure this time was more savage and violent than anything he had experienced before.
But Lan Si had made it through. Drawing on the excess energy within the Soul-Eater Demon Spider's Soul Ring, he had not only raised his Soul Power to level thirty-two, but also advanced both the Supreme Universe Art and Five Thunders Heart Art to the fourth layer. He had even obtained the Soul-Eater Demon Spider's External Soul Bone.
"I have to say, your luck is almost frightening. Not only did you survive, you even got one of those exceedingly rare External Soul Bones. And it's the External Soul Bone of one of the most savage and vicious Soul Beasts, the Soul-Eater Demon Spider. To be honest, even I can't help feeling a little envious."
Qian Renxue walked over, her gaze complicated as she studied Lan Si's current state. For a moment, she saw the shadow of that woman she despised in him. After all, that woman's Second Martial Soul was the evolved form of the Soul-Eater Demon Spider: the Soul-Eater Spider Emperor.
"Just lucky, that's all." Lan Si calmly smiled as he drew the External Soul Bone back into his body. "Besides, even if I gave you this Soul Bone, you wouldn't absorb it."
"Why not?" Qian Renxue was clearly intrigued. A strange glint flashed through her eyes as she asked, "You should know that External Soul Bones are the most unusual and rarest kind of Soul Bone, a special existence outside the six main categories. They're almost as precious as top-grade Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones. They can even evolve as a Soul Master grows. In terms of value and rarity, they're second only to Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings. At least as far as I know, you're only the second person to possess an External Soul Bone."
"It's simple." A gentle smile spread across Lan Si's face. He gazed steadily into Qian Renxue's bright blue-gold eyes and said with a smile, "This Soul Bone is too ugly. It doesn't suit you."
"You..." Qian Renxue froze. A blush instantly appeared on her lovely face, and she hurriedly turned away, raising a hand to her chest as she took a long breath. Just then, for a brief moment, she had actually been charmed by this boy of barely twelve.
After a while, Qian Renxue had calmed the flutter in her heart. Meeting Lan Si's clear, unclouded gaze again, she changed the subject. "Every Soul Bone comes with a corresponding Soul Bone Skill. What does your External Soul Bone do?"
At that, Lan Si released the External Soul Bone again. He controlled it far more easily this time. Its eight long legs moved at blinding speed, leaving a trail of purple afterimages in the air. In the blink of an eye, he had circled Qian Renxue in a wide arc before coming to a stop.
He explained thoughtfully, "Most of its effects seem to be passive. Once I release the External Soul Bone, I find that all my attributes—including Soul Power, speed, and strength—go up by fifty percent."
"Besides that, it seems to have inherited the Soul-Eater Demon Spider's ability to absorb Soul Power and suck out poison. It can completely make up for my own Soul Power expenditure and absorb toxins."
"Its physical functions are impressive too. It can help me jump and climb, and it's extremely sharp. It also has barbs too small for the naked eye to see, making it highly effective in combat and adding a potent poison attribute."
"That's about all I know about this External Soul Bone so far."
After speaking, Lan Si shrugged slightly. Isn't this pretty much the same as Tang San's Man Faced Demon Spider External Soul Bone in the original story?
It seemed to have one extra ability, though: through the countless tiny barbs on the Eight Spider Soul Bone, he could sense the Soul Power in the air.
Hearing this, Qian Renxue looked at Lan Si as if he were a monster again. Putting aside its unattractive appearance, she had to admit she was envious.
Qian Renxue continued, "Then what's your third Soul Skill?"
"About that..." Just then, Lan Si's stomach gave an ungrateful growl.
The scene turned awkward.
"Sorry, I haven't eaten anything since yesterday noon. How about I go find something to eat first? I'll tell you about it afterward," Lan Si said.
"Where are you going to find food out here in the wilderness? I've got some provisions. You'll have to make do." Qian Renxue rolled her eyes, took an elegant food box from her Storage Soul Tool, and tossed it to Lan Si.
Lan Si caught it and put it straight into the Heart of the Sea Blue without even looking inside. "You can't say that. The Star Dou Great Forest is full of food. Wait here a moment. I'll be right back."
As he spoke, Lan Si didn't wait for Qian Renxue to reply. He lightly pushed off the ground with his toes, sprang onto a nearby tree, and vanished among its branches in a few quick flashes.
The next moment, Snake Lance Douluo and Porcupinefish Douluo emerged from the shadows. They stood behind Qian Renxue and dropped to one knee.
"Young Master, this boy's talent is exceptional, and now he's obtained an External Soul Bone, one in a million. Should we inform His Holiness the Pope and recruit him? If that won't work, while the Soul Bone is still fusing with him, we could..." Snake Lance Douluo asked respectfully.
"Hadn't you already sent that woman a message?" Qian Renxue glanced over her shoulder, her expression cold.
"Please forgive me, Young Master." A bead of cold sweat ran down Snake Lance Douluo's forehead. He sounded apprehensive.
"Go tell that woman right now that Lan Si is my friend. No one is to lay a hand on him. Otherwise, I'll fight that person to the death." Qian Renxue's voice was icy.
"Yes." Snake Lance Douluo answered without hesitation. His figure turned into a wisp of shadow, disappearing into the forest.
Porcupinefish Douluo watched the spot where Snake Lance Douluo had vanished and couldn't help worrying for him. This was the first time he had ever seen Qian Renxue so angry. After all, whether it was Bibi Dong or Qian Renxue's grandfather, Qian Daoliu, either one could take their lives at any moment. Offending either side was a thankless task.
His eyes shifted, and Porcupinefish Douluo cautiously changed the subject. "Young Master, we've been away for nearly half a month. If we don't return to the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace soon, they'll grow suspicious."
"I know. I'll go back in a bit. You may leave." Hearing that she would have to return to the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace again, Qian Renxue impatiently waved her hand. She had entered the palace as a child, and had been undercover for more than ten years.
More than ten years spent behind a mask had nearly robbed her of the best years of her childhood and youth. Only when her Soul Power reached a bottleneck and she came out to hunt for a Soul Ring could she relax a little and feel like a person again, rather than a tool.
That was also the main reason she had chosen to hunt for a Soul Ring in the Star Dou Great Forest instead of the nearer Sunset Forest.
Before you continue